Floor tool for air method cleaning systems



Aug. 27, w35. D. B. REPLOGLE Er Al. 2,012,287

FLOOR TOOL FOR AIR METHOD CLEANING SYSTEMS Filed April 18, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q I l l l i l l l l I l I 1 E rv m E -z Aug. 27, 1935. D. B. REPLOGLE Er AL 2,012,287

FLOOR TOOL FOR AIR METHOD CLEANING SYSTEMS Filed April 18, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 27, 1935. D. B. REPLOGLE ET Al.

FLOOR TOOL FOR AIR METHOD CLEANING SYSTEMS Filed April-18, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 27, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE FLooR Toor. Foa Am METHOD CLEANING SYSTEMS Ohio, as trustee Application April 18, 1932, Serial No. 606,04 In Great Britain June 17, 1931 20 Claims. (Cl. 15-158) The invention pertains to floor tools such as are used in connection with the suction pipes of so-called vacuuml cleaner systems, but is more particularly applicable to that form of electrical motor driven portable cleaner known as the "Air- Way type, in which suction producing means are directly connected to the suction pipe that carries the floor cleaning tool, and are moved about manually with the pipe, or some part of it, used as a handle. Such cleaners are known commercially under the registered trade-mark Air- Way.

The Air-Way type device, which, by reason of the limited weight, may be conveniently moved about by hand, should have all its parts meticulously scaled down to very light and strong forms; and moreover, provision for carrying the principal element of weight, its power plant, is properly to be found in a proper set of rollers, and a smooth working face of the tool which operates upon the floor or fabric to be cleaned.

Furthermore the tool to be used for general service on such a device should have characteristics adapting it, or making it readily adaptable to at least four distinct functions of service:

First, it should be adaptable to removing ne and deeply imbedded dust from floor covering fabrics of all varieties. Second, it should be ecient for removing lint, hair, floss, ravellings and the like from the surface of, and from entanglement with the pile or nap of carpets and rugs. Third, it should be so arranged as to dispose and direct the air currents which do the cleaning, so that heavy and gravelly grit found upon floors or within the fabric, may be rolled up and into the suction pipe, instead of having to be lifted vertically, at the throat or junction of the suction pipe and the tool. And fourth, it should be constructed with a view to carrying away considerable quantities of sewing'room litter, leaves from house plants, nut shells, cigarette and tobacco remnants, feathers and the like, without becoming choked or obstructed thereby. And withal it should be adapted to clean hard surfaces or floors without scratching or injuring the paint, an'd without abrading or discoloring fabrics to which it is applied.

Besides these functions, the parts of the tool most exposed to wear should be conveniently renewable by replacement, so as to preserve the complete eicacy of its service.

Certain of these functions are set forth broadly in a prior application of Daniel B. Replogle, Serial No. 15,529, led March 14, 1925, and it is one of the objects of the present invention to improve the form of tool embodied in the aforesaid application whereby it may be manufactured at less cost, and with greater eiciency. Another object of the invention is to improve the form of the removableA oor engaging members or strokers with which the tool or nozzle is provided. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lint removing and floor polishing attachment for the tool.

We have therefore collaborated jointly to produce the present invention and to attain the various objects enumerated, and such other objects as may 'appear from the further description, or as Ymay be more definitely pointed out in the claims.

assembled tool, suggesting in the dotted lines the curved form of the lint and oor polishing attachment, previous to locking it into position;

Fig. 2 is an end view taken from back ofthe roller, cut off at its shank shown in section, as designated on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a central transverse section, as designated on Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a back view elevation of the rear diecast member of the structure of the body of the tool;

Fig. 5 is an interior view of the front die-cast member of the body structure, showing details and method of attaching one of the spring shank rubber-clad supporting rollers;

Fig. 6 shows a detail wherein one of the roller supports attachable at either end of the body of the tool has its spring support in the relaxed state, allowing the cover mounted on the shank of the roller to cover the end of the tool body;

Fig. 7 shows a1 blank sheet of fibre used to form an end closing cover as carried on the roller shank;

Fig. 8 shows a step in the process of forming the cover;

Fig. 9 is a detail of a metallic detent used to secure the cover to the roller shank;

Fig. 10 is an innerside elevation of the cornbined lint brush and floor polishing attachment, attachable to the body of the tool;

Figs. 11 and l2 show side and end views respectively of a suitable Stroker, constructed preferably from a tube of fibre, or a curl of sheet fibre;

Fig. 13 shows a section of the assembled castings making the body of the tool, as designated on Fig. 1; and

Fig. 14 is a detail suggesting the assembly of parts forming the combined attachment member illustrated in Fig. 10.

Characters of reference used in any of the views denote like or similar parts where they areused in the other views.

The body of the tool shown comprises a front member I and a rear member 2 joined together throughout their coinciding edges so as to be airtight along the irregular line 3; being secured in place by the transverse rivets I, l, l, I passing through the `bores l', 4' etc.

The body members have co-planar lips or beads 5, 8, over which are slid a pair of slitted hard i'lbre strokers formed from tubes or curls 1, 1 which delineate the longitudinal lips of the mouth of the tool to be applied to the surface to be cleaned. a

Rubber covered rollers 8, 8 mounted upon spring-actuated shanks 9, 49 are detachably secured at either end of the tool body, and are designed to support the device at variable heights above the floor, the flat springs I0, I0 rivetted to the shanks at II, II, and hooking to the top lugs I2, I2, etc. being designed to yield so that the mouth of the tool shall have its pressure upon the surface being cleaned, Variable in proportion to requirements, for effective work. These rollers, by carrying the main part of the weight of the whole cleaning apparatus on which the tool is being used, are designed` to prevent scratching and abrasion, both of the' surface being,

cleaned and of the strokers; and the rollers being' made of soft rubber, run silently over tiling or uneven floor. 'Ihe rollers are preferably of the type disclosed in Replogle Patent No. 1,541,- 280, dated June 9, 1925.

To complete the cleaning mouth a cover I3 is mounted on each roller shank, and the lower edge I4 of each cover is co-planar with the under side of the strokers only when the body of the tool is sustained by the flat springs I 8, I I) at the maximum distance above the bottoms of the rollers. The cover is made preferably from 'flexible resilient fibre and is so disposed on the roller shank that when theroller is locked into position, the face of the cover I8 impinges adjustably against the at end of the :body of the tool. The preferred manner of mounting the cover upon the shank 9 consists of forming the yoke I5 `and the lug or tear portions I6, I8 by'cutting the rectangular opening I9, then bending so that the ears I8, I 6 straddle the shank from. the lower side, the yoke I5 pressing against the vertical part of the shank while a detent I1 is passed through the lugs on the upper side of the horizontal part of the shank and is secured Vby bending its ends I8, I8 over thetops of the ears I8, I6. This is disclosed 'in Replogle application Serial No. 537,198, led May .13, 1931, now Patent No. 1,895,- 584, dated January 31 1933. y i J The assembled roller supports and cover are detachable together. The fiat spring is designed to be compressed by pressing with the thumb on the 'tip 20 which unhooks it from. the lugs. l2, I2,

or both its ends. When thus removed a at l stream of air is directed along the surface being cleaned, coming in between the then exposed ends of the strokers, which maywith great advantage be applied to corners along base boards, which are not accessible with tools as commonly used. The same fiat stream effect is had on the nap of carpets and rugs as well as upon linoleums and bare fioorswhen the rollers are left in place and the operator presses down on the tool so that the ends of the strokers are pressed beyond the range of the edges I4, I4 of the covers. 'I'he arrangement prevents the sealing against air ycurrent when the tool is pressed down where no current could pass through the floor covering fabric, but permits sealing all around the mouth of the tool when the fabric is lifted by suction and the action of the springs I0, I0 from the floor, and thus promotes the action of drawing the air current through the fabric itself with the consequent dislodgement of dirt which may be imbedded in the fabric.

lFor the further combined purposes of removing surface lint and the like from fabrics, and for polishing, or rubbing adhering dirt from hard surfaces, there may be applied the attachment shown in Fig. 10, which comprises a brush 23 and a strip of felt 24 clamped between the back plate 25 and the front plate 28 by means of rivets 21, 21, the whole being of a length substantially the same as .the body of the tool, but the felt portion having ends 24', 24' extending beyond as buiers to prevent injury to furniture, base boards and the like.

This latter attachment, as is evident, may be used with or without attaching the rollers and covers, and is designed to be hooked to the body of the vtool by means of the end hooks 28, 28, formed from ends of the plate 26, which are arrangedv to hook over lugs 29, 29, integrally con-V structed with the front member I of the tool body. A dog 30 having teeth 3I, 3| is rivetted at the center by the rivet 32, on which it is slightly rotative; and the teeth 3|, 3| are designed to selectively engage with frets 33, 33 etc. horizontally cut into the ledge 34 centrally located on the front of the member I. Now the body of this attachment when assembling its parts, is constrained into a slight curvature,

either end tending to bend away as indicated in dotted lines at 35, 35 in Fig. 1. When the teeth of the dog are placed into the frets selected to give it the height desired above the floor, the ends are pressed inwardly springing the plates 25 and 26 until the hooks 28, 28 can engage with the lugs 29, 29 by snapping over them. Removal is effected by a slight rotative motion on the axis of the central rivet 32, thus permitting the hooks to clear the lugs.

It is to be observed that the device attaches similarly whether the felt edge or the brush edge is disposed downwardly, according to the kind of service required; and in either case the attachment is held obliquely so as to poise the operating edge close to the mouth ofv the tool. This arrangement is novel and important because particles dislodged by it are to be delivered up to the air stream to be carried away. Moreover, lower adjustment may be effected to compensate for wear, by engaging the teeth 3| to a lower selection of frets 83, or adjustment higher may be attained as 'the occasion may require.

In the operation of the assembled device as a whole, the combined brush and felt attachment may be left in place, high enough above the surface being cleaned, so that the mouth only of the tool is regularly in actual service, thus avoiding unnecessary brushing or scraping where there are no resistant particles to remove. But where, for example, a ravelling or silk or other particle persists, the operator by raising the handle 36 tilts the tool on its longitudinal axis, which is in line with the spindle 31 in each roller, and brings as much pressure to bear as may be needed at the spot and at the time required. Threads, after having been impaled on' the bristles of the brush by backward strokes of the tool, are wiped o' on the forward stroke in close proximity to or directly underneath the forward Stroker 1 at the mouth of the tool.

A swivel joint 38 permits rotative adjustment of the tool with respect to the pipe handle 36, obliquely to the axis thereof. f

'I'he tool is so constructed that amplied space is all the way contiguous to the restricted mouth, as is apparent from a consideration of Fig. 3, and special amplification is provided for at and in front of the throat of the tool, as will be apparent from a consideration of Figs. l, 3, 4, and 5, so that choking up with litter will not occur; and the lower wall 39 in the throat-of the tool merges with the rear lip in such fashion that a gradual inclined plane is provided whereby heavy particles like sand and grit may be rolled up into the pipe handle 36 by the air stream, Awhen the stream may not be strong enough, by reason of restriction due to close contacting of the lips with the oor, to lift the heavier particles vertically upward.

The generally cylindrical outline of the body of the tool permits great strength when constructed with thin and light aluminium walls which approach to, and form the mouth of the tool within the cylindrical delineation outlined by the soft rubber rollers, centralized with the axis thereof, and attached as shown at the ends.

Conning the mouth of the tool within such cylindrical limits, provides the great advantage of permitting the swinging upward and downward handlev motion, consequent in sweeping, without breaking the effective contact line of the mouth.

Since it is well known that'aluminium rubbed over light colored fabrics discolorsv and injures them, we have resorted to the novel feature .of covering the aluminium lips of the tool mouth with removable and replaceable coverings or strokers made preferably of hard bre, or other suitable material, such as hard rubber or rawhide; and have thus provided against such injury.

The rounded lips formed by the tubular strokers make for easy propulsion across the surface to be cleaned, and should those lips become attened with wear, they are readily removable by sliding off end-wise so that replacement of the Worn part may be had.

Obviously coverings or strokers may be applied to the lips of tools of other configuration than that disclosed in the present application, this featurel of the invention being capable of wide application.

, By forming the tool of two longitudinally split halves the same may be die cast or stamped from sheetl material, and may accordingly be made very thin and consequently very light. Where thetool is formed of castaluminium oris stamped from sheet steel a thickness of the walls of about one-sixteenth of an inch is contemplated, although obviously the invention is not to be limited to materials of this particular thickness. While cast aluminium and sheet steel have been mentioned as suitable materials from which a tool of this type may be formed, it is obvious that other materials may be employed. For example, the tool might be cast from phenolic condensation product or other suitable plastic, which may be reinforced by suitable fibrous material incorporated therein, or might be shaped from indurated fiber or the like impregnated with a suitable condensation product. Where the non-metallic materials referred to are used in the construction of the body of the tool in place of aluminum, it is obvious that there will be no injury or discoloration of the surface to which the lips of the tool are applied, and consequently the removable hard fiber lips may be dispensed with in such case if desired. The materials mentioned above are intended as illustrative only and not as an exhaustive list of all possible substances adapted for use in this connection.

The form of tool as set forth in the present application is designed as an improvement on the tool disclosed in the German Patent No. 464,479 of D. B. Replogle, in that the present tool is preferably formed by die casting or stamping from sheet metal and is enlarged within the metallic body of the tool to accommodate the air entering from the mouth of the tool and from the ends thereof. In order to secure this construction it is necessary to make the nozzle in two parts to permit the same to be formed by die casting or by stamping from sheet metal.

We claim:

l. A floor tool comprising an elongated nozzle having an inlet mouth and exhaust outlet, both of which are relatively constricted as compared with the intermediate portion of the interior of the tool, and having end pockets for receiving the shanks of supporting end rollers, said tool being split in two parts to permit the tool to be formed' by die casting or by stamping from sheet metal, the split being in a plane of greater area than the area of the inlet mouth or exhaust outlet and passing through the end pockets.

2. A iioor tool for suction cleaners comprising an elongated nozzle formed of two approximately equal halves split in a vertical plane extending lengthwise of the nozzle, each half carrying upstanding projections adjacent the ends thereof which, when the nozzle is assembled, form mating guides for receiving the Shanks of supporting end rollers, and a pair of sockets intermediate the two end guides and spaced therefrom for receiving the ends of roller shanks.

3. A floor tool for suction cleaners, comprising an elongated nozzle, an exhaust outlet pipe extending at right angles to the nozzle, a pair of sockets on the top of the nozzle, one at each side of the outlet nozzle, a pair of arched guide members, one at each end of the nozzle and spaced yfrom said sockets, and a pair of end rollers for said nozzle, each having an elongated spring support retained at one end in one of said sockets and frictionally engaging one of said arched guide members, said nozzle being formed of two substantially equal halves joined in a vertical plane intersecting said guide members,vwhereby the tool may be formed by die casting or stamping from sheet metal.

4. A floor tool for suction cleaners comprising an elongated nozzle longitudinally divided in a vertical plane into two halves, two pairs of upstanding spaced lugs carried by said nozzle formried by each half of the nozzle, a pair of sockets formed in the nozzle intermediate its ends, end rollers for supporting said nozzle, shanks for 1o A said lip portion and adapted tov be slid endwisel springs connected with said supports irictionally,

and detachablyY engsins said guide members. 5. A cleaner nomle having a lipportion, and Va llittcd tube o f non-metallic material fitting over saidlipportion, aportion o! saidtube extendingintothemouthorthenozzle.

6. A cleaner nome having a straight lip portion partially cut away at itsends from the body of the tool, and a slitted tube detachably iitting over thereof tor applying or detaching the tube.

'I.l A suction cleaner nozzle having a lip portion and a stroker element comprising a slitted tube composed of hard iibre ntting over said lip portion.

8. A suction cleaner'nozzle having a metallic lip portion and a stroker element comprising a slotted tube of non-metallic material.- adapted to cover said metallic lip portion and prevent contact thereof with the surface to be cleaned and extending partially into the mouth of the nozzle.

9. A cleaning tool comprising an elongated nozzle having coplanar beaded lips outlining the mouth thereof, and slidable coverings. formed oi slitted tubes of non-metallic material itting over Said ups. j

10. An elongated suction cleaner nozzle having parallel lips on opposite sides of the mouth thereof, each lip being provided with a detachable Stroker comprising a. slitted tube snugly ttlng over the lip, the two strokers providing between them end openings for the nozzle to permit air to pass lengthwise therethrough. .Y

l1. A cleaner nozzle having a pair of parallel lip portions, and a pair of parallel stroker elements, each member of the pair compris/ing a slitted tube detachably covering-one of said lip portions.

12. A cleaner nozzle having a pair of parallel beaded lip portions and a pair of parallel Stroker elements, each member of the pair comprising a slitted tube covering'one of said beaded portions.

13. A combination brush and felt attachment for a cleaning tool, wherein the combination brush and felt attachment can be sprung and is provided with front and back plates clasping the brush and felt elements and constraining the whole attachment into curvature, and one of the plates is provided with hooks on its ends designed to be sprung into engagement with end lugs on the body of the tool, by resting the middle of the attachment member against the middle of the tool body, and springing said member until its hooked ends engage respectively with said end lugs to lock the attachment member intooperative position on the body of the tool.

14. In combination with `an attachment member as set forth in claim 2, a, cleaning tool, and means at the middle of the body of the tool and at the middle of the attachment member for securing adjustment -at a plurality of operating positions with respect to distance from the door.

115. In combination with an elongated door tool having a pair of oppositely facing hooks projecting externally from one side thereof adjacent its ends, an auxiliary cleaning attachment of springy material adapted to be sprung and secured to said tool and having cooperating hooks adjacent Vits ends coasting with the hooks on the tool for releasably retaining said attachment upon the tool in the sprung position.

- 16. An auxiliary cleaningattachment adapted to be detachably secured externally to one side of an elongated suction cieaner'tool, said attach-- ment being of springy material and of substantlallythesamedimensions asthe side of the tool.

to which it is to be secured, and being normally constrained into curvature, and attaching hooks adiacent the ends o! the attachment adapted to be sprung intoA engagement with end lugs on the body o1' the tool, whereby the attachment is held straight and under tension. Y

l'l. In combination with an elongated iloor tool, a pair of hooks located one adjacent each end of the tool and projecting externally from one side thereof, an auxiliary cleaning attachment adapted to be secured externally of the floor tool and having hooks adjacent its ends adapted for engagement with the hooks carried by the oor tool,

the engaging portions of the complementary hooks of the tool and attachment respectively being of substantial area and lying in the same plane, and adjustable attaching devices intermediate the hooks whereby adjustment of the attachment relative to the tool is permitted.

l18.]1he combination with a cleaning tool of a suction cleaner having an auxiliary cleaning attachment adapted to be detachably and adjustably secured externally to one side of the tool, of a plurality of pairs of horizontal slits formed in thel side of the tool to which the attachment is secured, a pair of projections carried by said attachment' adapted releasably to engage a pair o! said slits whereby vertical adjustment of the attachment is secured, and Lmeans cooperating releasablywith each other carried by the tool and attachment respectively for preventing lateral separation oi' the tool and attachment.

19. An elongated door tool having an elongated auxiliary attachment positioned externally of one side of the tool, said attachment being of substantzally the same dimensions as the side of the tool to which it is applied and having a portion positioned adjacent to and parallel with the mouth of the tool, and means for adjustably securing the tool and attachment together, said means including pairs of vertically spaced slits horizontally formed in one of the members, a pair of vertically spaced teethcarriedby the other member and detachably engaging a pair of-said slits. and means for holding the attachment against the nozzle.

20. A`n elongated floor tool, having a fiat rectangular cleaning attachment positioned externally of said tool, with a portion thereof adjacent the mouth of the tool and lying in a` plane inclined slightly with reference to the vertical plane when the mouth of the tool is in a horizontal plane, and means for adjustably securing the attachment to the tool, said means including spaced pairs of cooperating hooks carried by the tool and attachment, having engaging faces of substantial' area and inclined at substantially the same angle as the plane of the cleaning attachment. and other adjustable devices intermediate the hooks, whereby the height 'o1' the attachment CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.. 5

Patent No. 2,012,287. August 21, 193s.

y DANIEL BENSON REPLOCLE, IIT'RL.-

lIt -is hereby certified that errorappears in the printed specification of the abovenumberedpatent requiring correction asfollows: Page-4, first column, line 59. claim 14, for .the reference claim numeral "2" readl; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to therecord Of vthe case in" the Patentv Office.

Signed and sealedl th is2 4th day of September, A. D, 1935.

- ILeslie Frazer (Seal) Acting4 Commissioner of Patents. 

